So I am leaning towards Tyroc's idea about Short-Fuze starting out as a Combat Engineer then moving to a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant. My only hesitation is why would he not go towards a SF Engineer Sergeant instead? But after doing some reading it looks like the Army might have you select your top choices on which SF track you want but if the need for one outweighs the desired one then they will stick you on the one that needs filled. I know this applies to MOS 18X but not sure on someone who has already been in the Army for a while and wants to change MOS's. Maybe the Army had a need for a Weapons Sergeant so perhaps Short-Fuze was "persuaded" to go that route. That would take care of his "Infantry Engineer" (Combat Engineer) and "Artillery" MOS's (SF Weapons Sergeant FO training) like Tyroc previously stated. The term "Artillery" may not necessarily mean manning the big indirect fire weapons, it could also mean forward observer roles as well. I think that is where Zuludelta was leaning towards from reading some of his works.

Moving on to Grunt....I am leaning towards him starting out as an 11B then moving to a SF Weapons Sergeant as well. Or maybe a 91F Small Arms/Towed Artillery Repairer then a SF Weapons Sergeant. The second scenario would cover his "Small Arms Armorer" MOS from being a 91F and his "Infantry" and "Artillery Coordinator" from being a 18B SF Weapons Sergeant. From what I read Infantry tactics is part of either the SF Weapons training or SF training in general. Then obviously the "Artillery Coordinator" from his FO training as a 18B.

Now if I can only figure out Flash. I have him starting as a 74D CBRN Specialist then maybe moving to 11B Infantry. Not sure how to incorporate his "Electronics" MOS though. Any suggestions on this?

According to Larry Hama's original dossier notes, Grunt was an apprentice gunsmith before enlistment. My take on him is that he'll be the only OG13 Joe with no SOF background of any kind. The one guy no one thought would get through Operator training, let alone initial selection and assessment. A real grunt.

I'm having a similar problem with Flash, thing is I don't see him reclassifying from a specialist CBRN position to a normal Infantry role. I have a take on him which I'll post soon, once I work out some details.

Man I like that smalls Arms Master gunner for Flash, since it deals with Laser Optics and Electronic components of small arms which may be a more practical use of his "Electronics" SMS, but also Sniper rifles. I see Flash as a SNiper originally. Start as Small Arms Master Gunner instructor, it gets disintegrated, he moves on to Special Forces, Maybe Communications sgt. or Sniper or even as part of a CBRN Recon team if you want to include that.

But if you had anyone as a Small Arms Master Gunner, I could see them getting picked up by the Joes when the course was abolished.

According to Larry Hama's original dossier notes, Grunt was an apprentice gunsmith before enlistment. My take on him is that he'll be the only OG13 Joe with no SOF background of any kind. The one guy no one thought would get through Operator training, let alone initial selection and assessment. A real grunt.

I'm having a similar problem with Flash, thing is I don't see him reclassifying from a specialist CBRN position to a normal Infantry role. I have a take on him which I'll post soon, once I work out some details.

That was my only drawback on making Grunt a former SF soldier, why would he have a codename of "Grunt"? I like the gun apprentice background, although still need to figure out his "Artillery coordinator" MOS. Zuludelta had him starting out as a fire support specialist then moving to 11B Infantryman.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon

Man I like that smalls Arms Master gunner for Flash, since it deals with Laser Optics and Electronic components of small arms which may be a more practical use of his "Electronics" SMS, but also Sniper rifles. I see Flash as a SNiper originally. Start as Small Arms Master Gunner instructor, it gets disintegrated, he moves on to Special Forces, Maybe Communications sgt. or Sniper or even as part of a CBRN Recon team if you want to include that.

But if you had anyone as a Small Arms Master Gunner, I could see them getting picked up by the Joes when the course was abolished.

I am liking that small arms master gunner as well. I am strongly considering using Flash as a sniper as well. I still want to incorporate his CBRN specialty though. In order to be a sniper he would either have to be an 11B, 19D or any of the 18 series though. So maybe start out as a 74D then move to a 18E Communications Sergeant and went on to Sniper School and Small Arms Master Gunner?

My boys are too old for trick-or-treating...but thankfully I did not get that many trick or treaters this year so I have plenty of good chocolate to eat. lol

So I am continuing to try and figure out the Joes in my Joe-verse. Several of the "Military Specialties" on the filecards (as we are all aware of) can be taken to mean a couple different things. For instance "Demolitions" to me is either the Joe in question can be either a Combat Engineer, Special Forces Engineer Sergeant or someone who went to the Sapper Leader Course. Likewise an EOD MOS can be either an 89D Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist or someone who attended the Explosive Ordnance Clearance Agent Course. So that means someone like Tripwire could have started as a 12B Combat Engineer then moved to an 89D or maybe just a 12B who attended both the Sapper Leader Course and the EOCA Course. What is everyone else's take on some of these "military specialties" that are not always so clear cut?

I don't think just anyone can take the Sapper Leader or EOCA courses. The Army's ATRRS catalog says the prerequisite for those courses is a Combat Engineer MOS. So EOD could mean 89D or 12B, and demolitions would be 12B or 18C, although if the rank is below E6 I usually assume that Joe was a Combat Engineer.

If the character specializes in both demolitions and EOD, I'm more likely to list him as a Combat Engineer, which is how I use Lightfoot, Tripwire, and Tunnel Rat, but they may be attached to a SOF unit. Long Arm is my only confirmed 89D.

I don't think just anyone can take the Sapper Leader or EOCA courses. The Army's ATRRS catalog says the prerequisite for those courses is a Combat Engineer MOS. So EOD could mean 89D or 12B, and demolitions would be 12B or 18C, although if the rank is below E6 I usually assume that Joe was a Combat Engineer.

If the character specializes in both demolitions and EOD, I'm more likely to list him as a Combat Engineer, which is how I use Lightfoot, Tripwire, and Tunnel Rat, but they may be attached to a SOF unit. Long Arm is my only confirmed 89D.

Yup, totally agree. Also Rangers get plenty of demolitions training, so sometimes 'Demolitions' on a FC may not mean 12B / 18C necessarily, especially if they might be part of the Regiment.

There are also courses within the Rangers like Basic and Advanced Breaching too. (and NATO SHAPE schools, that guys like the Joes might be able to attend)

I wonder if card template changed where the primary specialty is listed as say 11B, but instead of a SMS have all the schooling in that space. Most guys don't have two specialties. They may switch careers, but Demolitions isn't a job MOS.